Barak names new military chief of staff

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Defense Minister Ehud Barak named a new chief of staff for Israel’s military in the wake of a scandal involving his choice.

Barak on Sunday named Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant to replace current chief Gabi Ashkenazi, who has served for the past four years and whose position was not extended by an extra year, as is traditional. Ashkenazi will step down in February.

Barak will reportedly ask the Cabinet to approve Galant’s appointment at its weekly meeting Aug. 29.

Galant, 51, currently serves as head of the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces..

Israel’s Channel 2 television earlier this month reported on a document leaked to the station, called the "Galant document," which allegedly outlined a public relations campaign for Galant in order to achieve the chief of staff position. The document was deemed a fake last week by police. Galant has not been implicated in the scandal.